tjfxh's Comments (74)

“The mystical literature of the world (perennial wisdom) is filled with reports of the independent existence of consciousness. expressed in a variety of ways, all of which have a common theme, namely, that existence/awareness is indivisibly one and only appears to be diverse due to the limited functioning of brain/mind. the purpose of spirituality in light of these wisdom traditions is to remove that limitations. Those who undergo such training report experiences of higher realms and ultimately the Absolute, which is variously called Godhead (Meister Eckhart), Nirvana (Buddha), Brahman (Vedanta), Fana Fillah (Sufism), and Wu Ji (Taoism). See, for example, www.corespirituality.com for an explanation of perennial wisdom.

Pioneer American psychologist William James suggests in a short paper on the immortality of the soul that the brain need not be conceived as a machine that produces experiences but can rather be viewed as a receptor that receives information. On this analogy, the brain receives information in accordance with its capacity. Expand that capacity and the information it can receive is also expanded, which is reflected in experience.

This view accords with the perennial teaching about spirituality, and recent scientific research is bearing out that advanced practitioners of the various wisdom traditions display unique brain functioning that correlates with their subjective reports of expanded awareness. While correlation is not causality, the fact that regular practice of traditional spiritual "exercises" does lead to changed brain functioning and subjective reports of expanded awareness.”

“Iran is crazy pushing the US like it is. Didn't they learn anything from Saddam. Do they want to see their country destroyed like Iraq?

With the rotten economic situation in the US, the US is just looking for another big war to get into that the public supports, and right now public support is building for a take down.”

“I am amazed at how all the commentators, most of whom probably never even took Economics 101, let alone advanced courses in monetary theory and international trade, know so much about this complicated subject ,as well as how to use this knowledge to set policy. Ain't America great. :)”

“George W. Bush was certifiably a narcissist. Obama doesn't fit the psychological profile, which is a big reason that Obama won the Nobel after replacing Bush policies with sane ones. Check your Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).”

“Uh, we are in another asset bubble being created by loose monetary (interest rate, liquidity) and fiscal (tax credit) policy. It, too, will end badly.”

“Mac is on notice from both Sec. Gates and Gen. Jones (National Security Adviser), both of whom most likely heard a few words from the president about running a tight ship. If Mac is thinking of another star instead of early retirement, he is well advised go through the chain of command like he knows he is supposed to. The military doesn't set national policy. The president does.”

“Time is a corporate shill. What do you expect?”

“The truth is never going to come out because a lot of powerful people would be going to jail or at minimum losing their jobs. There is a double standard in the US, one standard for the people and another for the privileged. The privileged class is above the law.”

“I am covered by a single-payer plan (Medicare), and I was covered by a slingle-payer plan wholly owned by the government when I served in the military. What you say is just nonsense. I got much better care less expensively than when insured privately, costing me a lot more.”

“President Obama has already failed. Reaganism (economic neoliberalism masquerading as policy) stlll rules. After gifting trillions to the banksta's on the taxpayers, the president is still doing nothing to ensure that real health care reform passes as anything but a gift to the insurance industry.

The Obama administration and Democratic establishment has sold out to the huge special interests that they apparently see as necessary to fund campaign finance and lobbying.

Throw the bums out in 2010 and 2012! Elect progressives and get the country back on track before the next crisis sinks this already foundering ship.”

“This has nothing to do with anything but money. Fox employs its commentators BECAUSE they express the views of a large segment of the US (white) TV population and that means money from advertisers. The way to end this exploitation is to contact advertisers on Fox and let them know that you will not be using their products or services as long as they support this outrageous behavior on the part of Rupert Murdoch simply for the money and power it brings him.”

“Mandates will kill Dems who vote for them. This is a non-starter and Dems should not fall for it. It will be highly unpopular with younger voters and just drive younger voters to the GOP. Crazy idea.”

“The major problem the Dems have, as cognitive scientist George Lakoff observes, is their erroneous assumption that people act rationally more than not, and therefore the most effective political strategy is to debate "real" issues. The GOP has long recognized that people are more emotional and impulsive than rational, and their strategy ha been to act accordingly.

For example, a primary GOP strategy is to play on fear of difference. Therefore, the subtext of a great deal of US politics is racism conveyed through code. Take the healthcare debate. The GOP knows that many white people don't want to risk giving anything up for "the uninsured." "The uninsured" equates to the poor and jobless, and this is interpreted as people of color and immigrants. Until the Dems wise up and get street smart, they are going to continue to be rolled by the right.”

“The problem: Obama was an excellent campaigner, but he is a lousy communicator as president. Too much nuance, no fire.”

“True colors? Right out of the fascist playbook.”

“Robin's observation is 90% correct, but it leaves out something very significant. This incident need not have had anything to do with racial profiling to happen, en though it did. The police in America are completely out of control and have all the space they need to act like authoritarian bullies. This could have happened to any of us, and if anyone said boo to an officer, they could find themselves in handcuffs or tasered.

No matter how much of a fuss Gates put up, he did not get physical and he did show ID to prove who he was and that it was his own house. This was just an out of control police officer who took offense and acted unprofessionally.

To set an example, I hope Prof. Gates sues Cambridge for millions of dollars over this outrage committed in his own home, over which he has suffered extreme embarrassment.”

“The way to judge risk of US debt is through interest rates and successful auctions. Interest rates are historically low and the appetite for US debt is unabated.

Deflation is the threat at this point, not inflation leading to higher rates.”

“Follow the money. Wall Street buys both sides.”

“Obama is wasting his political capital, alienating his base, and confusing the country, while his wishy-washy approach threatens to turn what was the Bush recession into a debacle for Democrats as jobs blow up, debit deleveraging escalates, and a deflationary spiral looms. Meanwhile, the party of whack-jobs stands in the wings laughing, waiting for the Dems to self-destruct, opposing every program put forward, and proposing the monetary and fiscal tightening that would be disastrous for the fragile economy.

Mr. President, get a grip, tell it like it is, assign blame, propose necessary remedial measures even though painful and unpopular with wealth and power, and take charge. After all, the buck stops with you. And stop making a travesty of the Constitution by turning a blind eye to torture, war crimes, and other malfeasance of the previous administration that is rotting the foundations of the country.”

“NK is not going to use nuclear weapons anytime soon, nor is any other "nuclear" state when the US has the ability to turn their country into glass and will do so if we or our allies are attacked with WMD.

That said, Kim Jong Il is Obama's Saddam, and O has to deal with Kim decisively, or the GOP will gain traction in taking him down on national security. The fear card is the weapon that NK and the GOP have in common. Same mindset, apparently.”

“The Democratic leadership ? in the Senate needs to start twisting some arms. Harry Reid, especially, needs to go and the sooner the better. Harry is a drag on the Democratic Party going forward, and one reason the GOP still has great hopes that the Dems will snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory in 2010 and 2012.”

“What's so hard to understand about this? Why are we even having this discussion? (Disclaimer: I am a former naval officer.)”

“Racism?”

“Both parties are in the pocket of Wall Street. So what's to expect? Follow the money.”

“Good points. In fact, there is the question as to why there are no investigations and prosecution of selling what amounts to insurance illegally.

And if there is going to be trading in these types of contracts, it has to be transparent and conducted on an open exchange under oversight.”